Mission Statement

As a leader in urologic care , research, and education, the Department of Urology at Naval Medical Center San Diego provides compassionate and expert medical care related to the evaluation, treatment and management of all urinary tract and male reproductive system disorders, while training the next generation of military urologists and leaders.

Overview of Urology Services

The Department of Urology at Naval Medical Center San Diego provides comprehensive medical care related to the evaluation, treatment and disposition of all disorders of the urinary tract and male reproductive system.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT UROLOGY SERVICES, PLEASE CONTACT 619-532-5227 TO SPEAK WITH A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.

Urology Residency Program

The Urology Residency Program at Naval Medical Center San Diego is a 6 year ACGME accredited program, offering residents a broad range of experience in general surgery and urology. The program includes two years in general surgery and four years in urology, with two residents per year level. The program prides itself in not only producing graduates who meet the standards of professional excellence adopted by the American Board of Urology, but also military surgeons ready to serve in today’s environment of high military operations tempo.

The academic program begins at the staff attending level down to residents, interns, and medical students at all weekly conferences: Journal Club, Campbell's review, Pre-op Conference, core lectures, grand rounds, staff rounds, and Mortality and Morbidity. The supporting hospitals and outside rotations consist of the following: Kaiser, Rady Children’s Hospital, Sharp Transplant, and Scripps Mercy for general surgery. Rotations include pediatric urology, urology/gynecology, infertility, urology oncology, research, general urology, and outlying rotations at supporting hospitals, which includes a transplant rotation.

The Urology Residency Program prides itself on its commitment to research and academics. Residents are allowed six months during the program to focus on research. Each resident is expected to continually work on research during the course of the residency program. Every resident is required to have at least two published articles by the end of the residency program. The faculty are actively engaged in research projects with the residents.

We have achieved a 100% pass rate over the last decade on Parts I and II of the American Board of Urology exams. Over 50% of graduating residents have gone on to fellowship training, with many remaining active in academics throughout their careers.

Urologic Cancer

PROSTATE CANCER: Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in a man's prostate - a small walnut-shaped gland that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Prostate cancer usually grows slowly and initially remains confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly. Prostate cancer that is detected early - when it's still confined to the prostate gland - has a better chance of successful treatment.

TESTICULAR CANCER: Testicular cancer occurs in the testicles (testes), which are located inside the scrotum, a loose bag of skin underneath the penis. The testicles produce male sex hormones and sperm for reproduction. Compared with other types of cancer, testicular cancer is rare. But testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 35. Testicular cancer is highly treatable, even when cancer has spread beyond the testicle. Depending on the type and stage of testicular cancer, you may receive one of several treatments, or a combination. Regular testicular self-examinations can help identify growths early, when the chance for successful treatment of testicular cancer is highest.

KIDNEY CANCER: Kidney cancer is cancer that originates in the kidneys. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They're located behind your abdominal organs, with one kidney on each side of your spine. In adults, the most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma. Other less common types of kidney cancer can occur. Young children are more likely to develop a kind of kidney cancer called Wilms' tumor. The incidence of kidney cancer seems to be increasing. One reason for this may be the fact that imaging techniques such as computerized tomography (CT) are being used more often. These tests may lead to the accidental discovery of more kidney cancers.

BLADDER CANCER: Bladder cancer begins most often in the cells that line the inside of the bladder. Bladder cancer typically affects older adults, though it can occur at any age. The great majority of bladder cancers are diagnosed at an early stage — when bladder cancer is highly treatable. However, even early-stage bladder cancer is likely to recur. For this reason, bladder cancer survivors often undergo follow-up tests to look for bladder cancer recurrence for years after treatment.

Pediatric Urology

We offer care for a wide range of urologic disorders in children and adolescents. Our team has special expertise in genitourinary reconstruction, minimally invasive surgery, and the management of neurogenic bladder, kidney stones, disorders of sex development, and dysfunctional voiding.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Prostate gland enlargement is a common condition as men get older. Also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate gland enlargement can cause bothersome urinary symptoms. Untreated, prostate gland enlargement can block the flow of urine out of the bladder and cause bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems.

There are several effective treatments for prostate gland enlargement, including medications, minimally invasive therapies and surgery. To choose the best option, you and your doctor will consider your symptoms, the size of your prostate, other health conditions you might have and your preferences.

Erectile Dysfunction and Infertility

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION: Male sexual arousal is a complex process that involves the brain, hormones, emotions, nerves, muscles and blood vessels. Erectile dysfunction can result from a problem with any of these. Likewise, stress and mental health problems can cause or worsen erectile dysfunction. Sometimes a combination of physical and psychological issues causes erectile dysfunction. For instance, a minor physical problem that slows your sexual response may cause anxiety about maintaining an erection. The resulting anxiety can lead to or worsen erectile dysfunction.

MALE INFERTILITY: Approximately 15 percent of couples are infertile. This means they aren't able to conceive a child even though they've had frequent, unprotected sexual intercourse for a year or longer. In about half of these couples, male infertility plays a role. Male infertility is due to low sperm production, abnormal sperm function or blockages that prevent the delivery of sperm. Illnesses, injuries, chronic health problems, lifestyle choices and other factors can play a role in causing male infertility. Not being able to conceive a child can be stressful and frustrating, but a number of male infertility treatments are available. Many infertile couples have more than one cause of infertility, so it's likely you will both need to see a doctor. It may take a number of tests to determine the cause of infertility. In some cases, a cause is never identified.

Genital and Pelvic Reconstruction

Genital and pelvic reconstruction refers to a discipline within Urology conceived to reconstitute normal anatomy and function in the genital and pelvic regions of the genitourinary tract affected by an assortment of diseases and afflictions. Reconstructive urology in general has made significant advances in the past twenty years with a better understanding of mechanisms of injury, principles of reconstruction, and the advancement of surgical techniques. Urology has evolved to recognize that surgical aspects of restoring normal bodily functions are as crucial as controlling or removing diseased organs alone.

In the genital and pelvic region, advanced surgery has evolved for all areas of reconstruction of the penis and scrotum, male urethral reconstruction, bladder reconstruction, and urogynecologic reconstruction. Male urethral reconstruction is generally offered for conditions such as urethral stricture disease, urethral injuries/trauma, urinary incontinence and rectourethral fistulas associated with trauma, surgery or radiation. Bladder reconstruction is required for management of injuries or malignancies of the pelvic region and often times is combined with major cancer operations of the pelvis. Urogynecologic reconstruction is offered to manage pelvic floor relaxation, urethral diverticula, urethral injuries in the female, urinary incontinence, and vesicovaginal fistulas caused by prior trauma, surgery or radiation.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones (renal lithiasis) are small, hard deposits that form inside your kidneys. The stones are made of mineral and acid salts. Kidney stones have many causes and can affect any part of your urinary tract — from your kidneys to your bladder. Often, stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together. Passing kidney stones can be quite painful, but the stones usually cause no permanent damage. Depending on your situation, you may need nothing more than to take pain medication and drink lots of water to pass a kidney stone. In other instances, surgery may be needed. Your doctor may recommend preventive treatment to reduce your risk of recurrent kidney stones if you're at increased risk of developing them again.

Research

The department of Urology actively participates in a number of research projects, from multi-institutional cancer databases to prospective randomized trials. Please ask your provider to see if participating in research is right for you.

Safety and Quality

At Naval Medical Center San Diego, our number one priority is providing the safest, highest quality patient-centered medical care for our veterans, service members and their families. Through visionary leadership and staff dedicated to the Team STEPPS approach, our hospital continues to shape the future of military medicine.